Tag Archives: Waterproofing Crawl Space in Ridgeside

The crawl space has an integral role towards a home’s overall value as well as the living space above. Most homeowners in Ridgeside Chattanooga don’t think twice about their crawl space unless they have to make repairs to plumbing, heating ducts or house wiring. While often thought of as no more than a storage area, it also has a tremendous impact on the overall indoor air quality of the entire home.

The Best Crawl Space Waterproofing In Ridgeside TN

By default, the air quality of a crawl space is typically poor. Mold, mildew, radon gas and poor energy efficiency all create several problems. The air that circulates within it eventually makes its way up through the living space. Scientific studies show that up to 50% of living space air originates from the lowest level of the home. With homeowners more concerned about their home’s indoor air quality, the encapsulating of crawl spaces has become a popular solution for such problems.

A damp crawl space creates a safe harbor for harmful molds, in addition to dust mites, termites and other bugs that can infest the home. The presence of excessive moisture will also create a serious problem with the probability for the wooden structure of a home to deteriorate. Crawl space vents pose a further problem. While believed to be a solution to moisture problems, they, unfortunately, make the problem worse. As it turns out, the vents allow cold air and moisture in, which rises into the living area and therefore decreases the heating efficiency of the entire home.

Another all-too-common problem associated with crawl spaces is radon gas. Though it cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, radon is a radioactive gas that can contribute to poor health, including cancer. Radon gas makes its way through the earth, into the crawl space and the home’s living space. According to the U.S.E.P.A., radon gas is the number one leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Ignoring these various conditions is not recommended for both long-term health and energy usage. Fully encapsulating a crawl space – by both sealing and insulating – is a fully efficient measure in addressing such problems. It makes sense to maintain and improve the lower level area in order to maximize healthy living conditions and home resale value.

While there are several systems for encapsulating, a zero perm liner system that also insulates and reflects heat provides the most benefits. With a proper floor and wall liner, the area will not only be well insulated but will seal out moisture, bug infestation, and radon gas. Other components to look for in a system include a radon gas-dispersing drain fabric, a radon gas ventilation pipe, and a ceiling heat shield.

A complete system with all of the above components will allow any soil gasses – including radon gas – that naturally occur under the liner system, to wick through the drain fabric and escape out through the ventilation pipe. While improved indoor air quality is the primary benefit of a sealed and insulated crawl space, the homeowner will also appreciate a bright, clean, and dry storage area; the ridding of musty smells; less energy usage; and tax credits. Contractors encapsulating crawl spaces will have more to offer to their clients when they can assure the peace of mind with improved indoor air quality.

Crawlspace Moisture Control - The Case for Encapsulation

In recent years, the idea of indoor air quality control has become a bigger concern to the basement waterproofing industry. When I began working with the industry over 20 years ago, the idea of basement waterproofing was exclusive to the controlling of and prevention of water seepage and flooding. With homeowners becoming more aware of radon gas infiltration, moisture and mildew, and other soil gases, waterproofers have the perfect opportunity to better serve their customers by addressing such needs.

Musty smells, moisture and radon gas - all common problems in a basement and/or crawl space, are solvable by enacting some of the most basic waterproofing techniques. Improving indoor air quality, beginning from the basement and/or crawl space will impact the air quality of the entire home. Over 50 percent of the air that circulates through the home's living space originates from the basement and or crawl space. When the air quality of the basement or crawl space is poor, chances are, the entire home's air quality is poor or soon will be.

One of the first measures a contractor can do to address such concerns is by applying a sodium based silicate spray onto the basement's walls and floors. Such a spray typically reacts with the concrete's free lime, resulting in the formation of an expanded crystalline structure beneath the surface. The application of a deep-penetrating concrete sealer stops water vapor and radon gas from permeating the porous surfaces. This allows the concrete to become dense, increasing its resistance to various vapors and gases. Such sealants usually can be applied with a low-pressure hand sprayer.

When applying the right sodium based silicate spray, some of the additional advantages may include the reduction of spalling from freeze and thaw cycles; improving a concrete structure's resistance to most soils, acids, oils and salts; and protecting against efflorescence and leaching - specific results will vary pending the type of spray that is applied.

It is recommended to clean the concrete surface prior to application. Any dirt, oil or foreign substances may hinder the effectiveness of the spray. After such a spray is applied, the surface should be flushed with water before drying.

The prevention of moisture and soil gases permeating through concrete surfaces goes a long way in reducing the growth of mold and eliminating the musty smell that often plagues a basement and/or crawl space. Waterproofing contractors have always been called to address immediate water problems for the short-term; with indoor air quality control, contractors can now offer a viable long-term service that provides their customers with the ultimate peace of mind.

Crawlspace Moisture Control - The Case for Encapsulation

Crawl space is one of the most fundamental areas in every home which needs to be kept extremely clean. This is the reason why people go for crawl space encapsulation kits, as these liners make your crawl space extremely clean by keeping away insects, water logging and bad odor. However, the market displays numerous encapsulation kits in different qualities.

Good quality encapsulation kits are more expensive than the cheaper ones, but the cheaper ones are much weaker when it comes to quality. Unfortunately, in my extensive experience in this industry, I have noticed that people are attracted to cheaper ones and choose them for their encapsulation. However, they regret later when the whole thing fails to deliver what it promises.

This undoubtedly is the reason why I suggest using DIY encapsulation kits to save a considerable amount of money. How? It is not only the DIY kit that is expensive, but what's more expensive are the labor charges that come along with it. Labor charges have been increasing higher than ever, and this is the reason why it costs you as much as the encapsulation kits itself. However, if you opt for using DIY encapsulation kit you can save a considerable amount of money that you might spend on labor charges.

Moreover, you can also do your encapsulation at the convenience of your time, patience and energy. You do not have to wait for the professional to arrive at your home, analyze your crawl space and then start the job. Sometimes, this may take longer than you even expect it to finish. This undisputedly becomes the reason why people are more open to taking up DIY kit, as this can finish up their crawl space encapsulation as fast as possible.

What's more? Choosing a DIY kit will help you to ascertain the quality of your liner and the credibility it comes with when protecting your home. By choosing this kit you can take your time and choose the one that suits your preferences and is a permanent solution to your problems. If you leave this to the dealer, you cannot be sure on the quality of liners they will be using and the credibility of their service.

By doing the encapsulation yourself you can be sure that you have done it perfectly and can also alter some changes according to your preference. Hiring a professional will not only take your time and money, but may not be as flexible as you may think.

Crawl space DIY kits are readily available in the market and all you need to do is to research a bit on the types available. Remember, to choose a good quality liner because it all depends on the quality of the liner when it comes to completing the protection of your house.